The difference between FLV and F4V, Convert F4V to flash SWF on mac

I'm having difficulty understanding the differences between the standard file type FLV and the file F4V type. I'm having a problem getting the FLV playback component to play F4V files from a Flash Media Server. The FLV files play fine, but the F4V files don't play. It sits there looking like it is buffering the video, but never plays. Can the FLV playback component play F4V files? All f the documentation I have read says yes, but I can't seem to make it work. Is there extra steps/code needed for F4V? Again I haven't seen anything online that points out any differences in the way the two formats are used. My question is: What's the difference between FLV and F4V?, here is the reference between FLV and F4V

What is F4V?

F4V is a video file format which is developed by Adobe Flash. F4V files belong to HD video. Since videos in F4V format are usually encoded in H.264, the F4V format is based on the format specified by ISO/IEC 14496-12: ISO base media file format. The Adobe Flash Player has been able to play F4V files with SWF files published for Flash Player 9 Update 3 (9,0,115,0). A large part of the F4V format involves metadata. When Flash Player loads an F4V file, various stream properties are made available to a running ActionScript program via the NetStream.onMetaData property. The available properties differ depending on the software used.

What is FLV?

FLV, also known as Flash video, is a popular format used to deliver video over the Internet using Flash Player. Right now, Flash Player supports H.264 video and HE-AAC audio, Flash video contents can be embedded within SWF files. FLV format has quickly established itself as the format of choice for embedded video on the web; and FLV formats are used widely on mainstream video website, for instance: YouTube, Google Video, Yahoo! Video.

Flash video can be played freely on web without installing additional codec requirements on most operation systems. The people can enjoy Flash video via widely available adobe Flash Player and web browser plugin, or one of several third-party programs, such as MPlayer, QuickTime, VLC media player.

What is the main difference between FLV, F4V?

FLV and F4V are also known as Flash video, which are popular formats used to deliver video over the Internet using Flash Player. But FLV usually refers to SD video (Standard-definition video), which is compressed by H.263, MPEG video codec. F4V usually refers to HD video (High-definition video), which is compressed by H.264 video codec. F4V video has better video quality and wider usages than FLV since F4V belongs to HD video.

Tips: You can directly modify the extension of F4V files to *.flv, but you also have to convert its codecs. Nowadays there are many types of FLV files ending with *.flv. However, their video codec is different, H.264, H.263, VP6, VP6 alpha, F4V, or M4V. Some player just can play FLV with h.263, VP6, VP6 alpha and can not play other types of FLV. For not supported FLV codec type, the player you use can not recognize it.

For those who often share resources on website etc. the first thing you have to do is to convert your videos into flash SWF video format., learning to convert F4V to SWF could help them achieve the goal - to upload their homemade videos and documents to website as quickly as possible. Doremisoft F4V to flash SWF converter for mac could convert F4V to flash SWF which is supported by various website.